Beginning Quilting - Basics

Preparing and Cutting - including how to use a rotary cutter
Quarter Inch Seam and Pressing Techniques

Matching Seams and Quick Piecing Techniques - strip piecing, chain piecing

Maintaining Your Momentum
All About Fabric - Building a stash, chooseing fabrics, storing fabrics

Batting Guide

Binding and Quilting Resource Links

Scrap Management

Binding Tutorial -crosswise binding (not bias)

Grid Quilting Tutorial

Free Motion Quilting - video ... and I've heard a tip to turn your machine at a 45 degree angle to free your mind from straigh lines ... just a thought.

How to Calculate Quilt Measurements

How to Baste Quilts

Quilt Labeling

How to Make Your Own Spray Starch
why would you want to use spray starch?! i was wondering the same thing ... p.s. the lavender is in the recipe is an antiseptic and acts as a preservative (plus it smells super great while you are pressing). and p.s. starching clothing makes them last longer as the perspiration and dirt sticks to the starch instead of the fibers.
here are some tips on using starch and quilting ...
Generation Quilt Patterns
Tips Page 1 and Tips Page 2

Beginning Sewing Basics

Patterns Demystified!

Tips for Working With Patterns

How to Take Measurements

How to Alter Pants Patterns

Modifying Pants Patterns for Babies and Kids

Interfacing Guide

How to Set in a Sleeve -- alothough personally I don't sew the side seams and the underarm seams first ... I set the sleeve, then sew the underarm and side seam in one long seam!

Buttonholes - basic and corded

Centered Zipper - using GLUE .... what an interesting idea!

Sewing on Oilcloth (and Vinyl)


How to Spring Clean your Sewing Machine


Spring Clean Your Sewing Room -- which is full of tips and organization ideas

Favorite Sewing Tips, Part One, Two and Three.

How to Make Your Own Spray Starch
why would you want to use spray starch?! i was wondering the same thing ... p.s. the lavender is in the recipe is an antiseptic and acts as a preservative (plus it smells super great while you are pressing). and p.s. starching clothing makes them last longer as the perspiration and dirt sticks to the starch instead of the fibers.
here are some tips on using starch and quilting ... but the same priciples apply to sewing ...
Use spray starch to stabilize slinky fabrics as you cut and sew. Most of the starch will be removed as you handle and sew the fabric, the remainder can be washed out before you wear the garment.
Generation Quilt Patterns
Tips Page 1 and Tips Page 2

Sewing Machine Needles

Sew, Mama, Sew explains the difference between different needles and what needle you should use for your project. Or Threads has a great explanation of needles.

Simple Machine Applique

Sew, Mama, Sew has a great how to. Covering supplies and materials, machine settings and more. After you've covered the basics they have another post about layering and more complex designs. With PDF templates.

Techniques: Seam Finishes

Sew, Mama, Sew shows us how to do seam finishes with your sewing machine (no special machine needed for these) ... including: straight stitch, zig zag edge, clean finish, french seam, mock french seam (used on curves), flat fell, bound seam, double-fold bias tape, pinking, stitch and pink, or overlock on your serger.

How to Mark Points From Patterns

How to transfer important points on the pattern to your fabric. Check out the complete tutorial at ikatbag. Instead of using a marker, pencil or chalk on the mark, I generally just stick a pin in that spot ... that's the lazy method.

How to Estimate Yardage

This takes some of the guesswork out of the age old question, "How much fabric should I purchase?!" Check out the complete tutorial at ikatbag.

Perfect Curved Patch Pocket

Easy method for PERFECT curves. Check out the complete tutorial at Stitches and Seams.

Tips for Sewing with Knits

For some reason knits are scary to most home sewers. You don't need a serger, here are some of my favorite tips and techniques for sewing with knits on your regular sewing machine.

Sew, Mama, Sew has some tips, plus how to do a mock-coverstitch.

Sew, Mama, Sew has even more tips on embellishing and appliques using knits ... including adding woven ruffles to knits fabric. Just remember to remove your gathering stitches after sewing on with a zig-zag or it wont stretch!!

MADE has some tips on her tutorial for the 90-Minute shirt, inlcuding binding with rib knits.

Fishsticks and Fries has tips including hemming.

Hemming Techniques for knits ... VIDEOS!!!

Including: Coverstitch, Rolled-Hem, Lettuce Edge, Faux-Coverstitch, ZigZag

Sew, Mama, Sew has an all about sergers, (that serger is a GREAT beginning serger and reasonably priced!)

Threads primer on sewing knits.

My favorite book, Sew U: Home Stretch by Wendy Mullin. She discusses sewing with a traditional sewing machine as well as a serger and even touches on coverstitch machines (lightly).

Some recommend using spray starch to help stabilize knits while sewing ... I've never tried it since I use my serger and not my sewing machine ... but here is a recipe on how to make your own spray starch (scroll to the bottom).

Coverstitch Tutorials

Coverstitch machines make 2 (or 3) lines of parallel stitches on the top and the underside looks like serger loops. You can find anything you ever wanted to know about coverstitch machines, tutorials and attachments on Stitches and Seams.

Here are *some* of the things they are used for: hemming, binding, necklines, beltloops

I have the Brother 2340, purchased from allbrands.com. LOVE it.